D'you want to go to the seaside?

Whenever I visit the coast in a British town, the song called The Seaside by The Kooks plays in my head (listen to it here). A visit to the beach in South Africa has a completely different feeling; its more wild, hotter, sandier, wavy-er (okay, I know that's not a word but I needed a comparative adjective version of wavy!) But here in England the coastal towns just want to be called "seaside" towns; like the song, they are gentle, bright, fun, and just beg you to buy a soft-serve ice cream. The pebble beaches also change the atmosphere, no longer do you have to battle the stinging sand being blown onto bare legs, instead, you must hobble over the pebbles down to the sea for a swim.

Over the last weekend, Frans and I took a trip to the seaside town of Sidmouth. The primary reason was to visit Mark, Helen and their two children, Tom and Hope. Many of you may remember Mark from our wedding; he's my cousin and he was the vicar at our wedding ceremony. The family is moving to Jersey Island in two weeks time and we had to squeeze in a quick visit before they leave. What an incredible time we had! From the train journey across south-west England on Friday evening, Saturday morning on the beach and sunny late evening braaiing, walking up a steep hill and through the woodlands to a church service in a one thousand-year-old church and walking home along the coastal path, it was truly magical. Here are some pictures of the beautiful weekend.

The pebble/sand beaches can be enjoyed when the tide is 
low, as it was for us on Saturday morning

On the right is the, rather treacherous Jacobs Ladder (Tom lost a flip 
flop through its unforgiving steps). On the left are some pretty sought 
after Beach Huts; you can apply to be put on the waiting list to use one...

Deck chairs to enjoy your ice cream on if the seagulls don't 
steal it from you first! (Although these four chairs look like 
they've been placed to discourage talking...)

Looking back at Sidmouth across the beach. Up on the hillside, you can 
faintly see the coastal path in the right-hand field, that was our 
walk home from church on Sunday.

I loved these bright red, weedy poppy flowers taking shelter next to
the pier.

The Victoria Hotel, only a short walk from the beach.

Sidmouth pedestrian high street. 

A South African braai in Devon

Sunny supper time, Frans has a mouthful and Hope
is worried about Seagulls dive bombing her for food!

A view through the trees of the Salcombe Regis church, 1000 years old.

Views of the sea during our walk home after church with Tom

Classic Devon countryside plunging into the sea. This is the Salcome
Regis valley next door to Sidmouth.

A picturesque Salcombe Regis farmstead

Spotting Sidmouth over the ferns. We're about to descend into town on
the coastal path mentioned in the caption of the picture above.